Washboard attachment.



T. E'. HOBAN.

WASH'BOARD ATTAGHMENT. APPLICATION IILBI) Mimmo, 190s.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

T. P. HOBAN.

WASHBOARD ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2o. 190e.

935,025. Patentedsept.28,19o9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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man sacarse 'el maar 'faenas r. Hosen, or CHIcaeo, ILLINOIS.

WASHBOARD ATTACHMENT.

Application filed March 20, 1908.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. HOBAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident ot' Chicago, illinois, have invented a certain newand useful improvement in Vashboard Attachments, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wash boards, and attachmenttherefor, and has for its object the production ot an improved devicewhereby the washboard is held rigidly in the proper position for mostetlicient use.

A further object is the production ot a device whereby the wash boardheld out of the way. of the clothes when in use.

A further object is the production of a device that, while especiallyadaptable for use as a whole, the bracket portion may be attached to theordinary board.

A further object is the production of a device that can be cheaplyconstructed and one that is not liable to get out of order.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, are attained bymy device, embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device attachedto a tub and portion about the stop, with the tub broken away. Fig. 2 isa rear elevation of my device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line l--l of Fig. 1, lookingin the direction indicated by arrows. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on theline 5 5 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction indicated by arrows. Fig. 6is a rear elevation of a modilication of my device. Fig. 7 is a detailshowing way of clamping members 1G.

Like figures of reference indicate like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

Referring now to the drawings,-9 represents a washboard, its sides 10terminating in rounded corners 11. A pair of brackets 14: are secured tothe back or sides of the board by means of eyes or suitable fasteners15, thus confining the side 16 of the bracket against the side or backof the board, but permitting its free revolution. 'lhe brackets lllcomprise sides 16, arms 17, and inclined sections or diagonals 18, andare preferably in the form of a right-angled triangle. Either thediagonal or side is turned outwardly at 19 and bent downwardly parallelwith the diagonal 18 forming a hook 20. rlhe purpose for thus turningthe hook outwardly, as

Specification of Letters Eatent Patented Sept. 2S, 1999.

serial No. 422,263.

shown more clearly in Fig. 2, will be explained later.

A U-shaped member, comprising a handle or bottom 2l and side members 22substantially at right angles to the bottom, is provided with outwardlypointed ends 23, adapted to be driven into the sides 10 close to thebottom board 1Q. rlhe pointing ot these ends may be dispensed with andholes bored into the sides for the reception otl the ends, but I find itanswers the same purpose to point the ends and drive them in place. Aspring 24k connects the diagonals of the opposite brackets, and isnormally out of tension.

Reference to l and 2 shows that the brackets la are located above theU-shaped member or handle, so when the handle is raised, the sides pressagainst the bottom of the brackets, raising the brackets upwardly, andat the same time stretching the spring 24. rThe notches 25 are made inthe bottom member of the bracket and so located that when the bracketsassume a vertical position with reference to the wash board, the sidesof the handle will slip within the notches and the spring 241 willprevent the further turning ot the brackets, thus holding them rigidlyin place, as shown in Fig. 1. Of course, the notch could be made in thehandle member or any other stock mechanism used in its place withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

ln Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modiication of my device, in which thesides of the board 26 are of suflicient thickness to accommodate agroove 27 cut from the inside and thus provide a resting place for theside 1G. rlfhe wall of the groove serves as stops for the brackets andprevents them from falling outwardly in the event that the use of thespring 24 is dispensed with. The same result could be obtained by usingstops 27a secured to the side itself. When the spring is dispensed with,it becomes necessary to use some securing means to prevent the bracketsfrom falling outwardly when the board is not in use, such as a strip 2Sse` cured to the back brace 18 and held in place 'f by means of a screw29. This screw may be an ordinary thumb-screw and the strip 28 securedto it, so that by turning the thumbscrew the strip may be turned out ofengagement with the brackets, permitting them to be raised by means ofthe U-shaped handle. It will also be noted that the hook is bentoutwardly before being curved downwardly, in order that the board may bemore rigidly secured to the side of the tub. The hook member and thediagonal member are thus in the same line With respect to the radius ofa circle Whose center is the center of the tub.

In the use of the ordinary wash board with legs or feet adapted to restWithin and upon the bottom of the tub, much trouble has been experiencedin holding the board rigidly in place during the rubbing of the clothes,as when force is brought to bear upon the upper portion of the board,the board slides down further into the tub, While the application offorce to the lower portion of the board tends to force the board into anupright position. At the same time, the legs or feet ofthe Wash boardare continually in the Way of the clothes, and take up considerable roomwithin the tub Which should naturally be utilized for the propercleansing of the clothes. By the use of my device, however, the board isrigidly secured to the side of the tub, and the bottom of the board isat a considerable dis` tance from the bottom of the tub, leaving a clearspace Within the tub for the reception of the clothes, and at the sametime forming no obstruction to the operation, as when the legs are used,in addition to taking up room which could be utilized for other pur`poses, the legs themselves are continually catching in the clothes andhindering the successful Washing thereof.

I claim:

l. As a new article of manufacture, a Wash board, a pair of swingingbrackets secured thereto, the upper ends of said brackets terminating inhooks, the outer leg of said brackets adapted to rest against the in`side of a tub and held in place by means of said hooks, and spring meansfor holding said brackets from spreading.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a Wash board, a pair of bracketssecured thereto, the upper ends of said brackets terminating in hooksadapted to engage the sides of a tub, means for removably securing saidboard to a tub, and spring means for holding said brackets fromspreading.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 7 th day of March 1908.

THOMAS F. HOBAN. Vitnesses SARAH LEWIS,

ALBERT J. SAUsER.

